---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Through the humbling dispensations of…"
description: "\"Through the humbling dispensations of Divine Providence, men are sometimes fitted for his service.\" — John Woolman"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8d/john-woolman-17424_divine_through-the-humbling-dispensations-of-di_896460.jpg"
---

#  Through the humbling dispensations of Divine Providence…

![“Through the humbling dispensations of Divine Providence, men are sometimes fitted for his service.” quote by John Woolman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8d/john-woolman-17424_divine_through-the-humbling-dispensations-of-di_896460.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8d/john-woolman-17424_divine_through-the-humbling-dispensations-of-di_896460.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8d/john-woolman-17424_divine_through-the-humbling-dispensations-of-di_896460.jpg)

> “Through the humbling dispensations of Divine Providence, men are sometimes fitted for his service.”

[John Woolman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-woolman/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Divine providence can guide individuals into service, suggesting humility and purpose in life

**In simple terms:** God guides people into serving roles

Key Takeaway

Accept humble guidance

Themes

spirituality purpose humility

Mood

contemplative inspirational

Type

religious philosophical

When to use this quote

- mission work
- volunteering
- career decisions

Key Concepts

divine providence service calling

Questions to Reflect On

- Do you feel called to a purpose?
- How do you interpret providence?

A Different Perspective

May conflict with personal desires

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Dispensations Divine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dispensations-divine-1200787/) [Divine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/divine/) [Divine providence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/divine-providence/) [Humbling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humbling/) [Humbling Dispensations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humbling-dispensations-1200784/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Men Fitted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men-fitted-1200786/) [Providence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/providence/) [Providence Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/providence-men-1200785/) [Sometimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sometimes/)

## Related quotes

> [Friends, I agree with you in Providence; but I believe in the Providence of the most men, the largest purse, and the longest cannon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/friends-i-agree-with-you-in-providence-but-i-believe-in-the/)

[Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/)

> [I firmly believe in Divine Providence. Without belief in Providence I think I should go crazy. Without God the world would be a maze…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woodrow-wilson/i-firmly-believe-in-divine-providence-without-belief-in-providence-i/)

[Woodrow Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woodrow-wilson/)

> [Trust thyself: every heart vibrates to that iron string. Accept the place the divine providence has found for you, the society of your contemporaries,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/trust-thyself-every-heart-vibrates-to-that-iron-string-accept-the/)

[Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/)

> [Honor, justice and humanity call upon us to hold and to transmit to our posterity, that liberty, which we received from our ancestors. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dickinson/honor-justice-and-humanity-call-upon-us-to-hold-and-to-transmit-to/)

[John Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dickinson/)

> [There are four different theories concerning Divine Providence; they are all ancient, known from the time of the Prophets, when the true law was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maimonides/there-are-four-different-theories-concerning-divine-providence-they/)

[Maimonides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maimonides/)

> [There are many who say to the Lord, "I give myself wholly to Thee, without any reserve," but there are few who embrace the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-francis-de-sales/there-are-many-who-say-to-the-lord-i-give-myself-wholly-to-thee/)

[Saint Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-francis-de-sales/)

> [I have always felt that whatever the divine Providence permitted to occur, I was not too proud to report.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-a-dana/i-have-always-felt-that-whatever-the-divine-providence-permitted-to/)

[Charles A. Dana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-a-dana/)

> [“I thought about people loving dogs and dogs loving people, which, proved--to me, at least--there was more than science in the universal scheme of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonny-brewer/i-thought-about-people-loving-dogs-and-dogs-loving-people-which/)

[Sonny Brewer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonny-brewer/)

> [Under the blessings of Divine Providence ... It becomes us in humility to make our devout acknowledgments to the Supreme Ruler of the Universe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-k-polk/under-the-blessings-of-divine-providence-it-becomes-us-in-humility-to/)

[James K. Polk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-k-polk/)

> [We live in a new and exceptional age. America is another word for Opportunity. Our whole history appears like a last effort of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/we-live-in-a-new-and-exceptional-age-america-is-another-word-for/)

[Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/)

> [In conclusion I congratulate you, my fellow-citizens, upon the high state of prosperity to which the goodness of Divine Providence has conducted our common…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zachary-taylor/in-conclusion-i-congratulate-you-my-fellow-citizens-upon-the-high/)

[Zachary Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zachary-taylor/)

> [ They \[the Founding Fathers\] were intent upon establishing a Christian commonwealth in accordance with the principle of self-government. They were an inspired body of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-coolidge/they-the-founding-fathers-were-intent-upon-establishing-a-christian/)

[Calvin Coolidge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-coolidge/)

> [“if you didn’t take picture from museum, and Sascha didn’t steal it back, and I didn’t think of claiming reward—well, wouldn’t all those dozens…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-tartt/if-you-didn-t-take-picture-from-museum-and-sascha-didn-t-steal-it/)

[Donna Tartt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-tartt/)

> [ By the divine providence \[animals\] are intended for man's use... Hence it is not wrong for man to make use of them, either by… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/by-the-divine-providence-animals-are-intended-for-man-s-use-hence-it/)

[Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/)

> [Like many other scientists who hold the Catholic faith, I see the Creator's plan and purpose fulfilled in our universe. I see a planet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-r-miller/like-many-other-scientists-who-hold-the-catholic-faith-i-see-the/)

[Kenneth R. Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-r-miller/)

## More by John Woolman

> [When men take pleasure in feeling their minds elevated with strong drink, and so indulge their appetite as to disorder their understandings, neglect their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-woolman/when-men-take-pleasure-in-feeling-their-minds-elevated-with-strong/)

[John Woolman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-woolman/)

> [I then wrought at my trade as a tailor; carefully attended meetings for worship and discipline; and found an enlargement of gospel love in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-woolman/i-then-wrought-at-my-trade-as-a-tailor-carefully-attended-meetings/)

[John Woolman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-woolman/)

> [While I meditate on the gulf towards which I travelled, and reflect on my youthful disobedience, for these things I weep, mine eye runneth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-woolman/while-i-meditate-on-the-gulf-towards-which-i-travelled-and-reflect-on/)

[John Woolman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-woolman/)

> [If kind parents love their children and delight in their happiness, then he who is perfect goodness in sending abroad mortal contagions doth assuredly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-woolman/if-kind-parents-love-their-children-and-delight-in-their-happiness/)

[John Woolman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-woolman/)

> [Now to act with integrity, according to that strength of mind and body with which our creator hath endowed each of use, appears necessary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-woolman/now-to-act-with-integrity-according-to-that-strength-of-mind-and-body/)

[John Woolman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-woolman/)

> [I saw that a humble man, with the blessing of the Lord, might live on a little; and that where the heart is set…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-woolman/i-saw-that-a-humble-man-with-the-blessing-of-the-lord-might-live-on-a/)

[John Woolman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-woolman/)

> [May we look upon our treasure, the furniture of our houses, and our garments, and try to discover whether the seeds of war have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-woolman/may-we-look-upon-our-treasure-the-furniture-of-our-houses-and-our/)

[John Woolman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-woolman/)

> [The Lord had been very gracious, and spoke peace to me in the time of my distress, and I now most ungratefully turned again…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-woolman/the-lord-had-been-very-gracious-and-spoke-peace-to-me-in-the-time-of/)

[John Woolman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-woolman/)

> [Now I find that in a state of pure obedience the mind learns contentment in appearing weak and foolish to that wisdom which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-woolman/now-i-find-that-in-a-state-of-pure-obedience-the-mind-learns/)

[John Woolman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-woolman/)

> [I believe that where the love of God is perfected and the true spirit of government watchfully attended to, a tenderness toward all creatures…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-woolman/i-believe-that-where-the-love-of-god-is-perfected-and-the-true-spirit/)

[John Woolman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-woolman/)

> [My own will and desires were now very much broken, and my heart was with much earnestness turned to the Lord, to whom alone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-woolman/my-own-will-and-desires-were-now-very-much-broken-and-my-heart-was/)

[John Woolman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-woolman/)

> [Thus He whose tender mercies are over all His works hath placed a principle in the human mind, which incites to exercise goodness towards…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-woolman/thus-he-whose-tender-mercies-are-over-all-his-works-hath-placed-a/)

[John Woolman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-woolman/)

> [To say we love God as unseen and at the same time exercise cruelty toward the least creature moving by His life or by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-woolman/to-say-we-love-god-as-unseen-and-at-the-same-time-exercise-cruelty/)

[John Woolman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-woolman/)

> [O, that we who declare war against wars, and acknowledge our trust to be in God only, may walk in the light, and therein…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-woolman/o-that-we-who-declare-war-against-wars-and-acknowledge-our-trust-to/)

[John Woolman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-woolman/)

> [Now I find that in pure obedience the mind learns contentment, in appearing weak and foolish to the wisdom which is of this World;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-woolman/now-i-find-that-in-pure-obedience-the-mind-learns-contentment-in/)

[John Woolman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-woolman/)

[Explore all 37 John Woolman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-woolman/)

## More Divine quotes

> [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/)

[Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/)

> [The world's history is a divine poem, of which the history of every nation is a canto, and every man a word. Its strains…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/the-world-s-history-is-a-divine-poem-of-which-the-history-of-every/)

[James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/)

> [Like many other scientists who hold the Catholic faith, I see the Creator's plan and purpose fulfilled in our universe. I see a planet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-r-miller/like-many-other-scientists-who-hold-the-catholic-faith-i-see-the/)

[Kenneth R. Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-r-miller/)

> [I take the seashell from my jeans pocket and rub my fingers across its silken, indented surface, shallow as my own open hand. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katrina-kenison/i-take-the-seashell-from-my-jeans-pocket-and-rub-my-fingers-across/)

[Katrina Kenison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katrina-kenison/)

> [Can you imagine any better example of divine creative accomplishment that the consummate flying machine that is a bird? The skeleton, very flexible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-murchie/can-you-imagine-any-better-example-of-divine-creative-accomplishment/)

[Guy Murchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-murchie/)

> [Whatever your conscious mind assumes and believes to be true, your subconscious mind will accept and bring to pass. Believe in good fortune, divine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-murphy/whatever-your-conscious-mind-assumes-and-believes-to-be-true-your/)

[Joseph Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-murphy/)

> [In recent years my understanding of God had evolved into increasingly remote abstractions. I'd come to think of God in terms like Divine Reality,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/in-recent-years-my-understanding-of-god-had-evolved-into-increasingly/)

[Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/)

> [“Monsters are divine portents.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-davidson/monsters-are-divine-portents/)

[Andrew Davidson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-davidson/)

> [Neither novels or their readers benefit from any attempts to divine whether any facts hide inside a story. Such efforts attack the very idea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/neither-novels-or-their-readers-benefit-from-any-attempts-to-divine/)

[John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/)

> [Miracles are like candles lit up until the sun rises, and then blown out. Therefore, I am amused when I hear sects and churches…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/miracles-are-like-candles-lit-up-until-the-sun-rises-and-then-blown/)

[Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/)

> [Evil may mar the divine image and cloud its brilliance, but it cannot destroy it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul/evil-may-mar-the-divine-image-and-cloud-its-brilliance-but-it-cannot/)

[R. C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul/)

> [Coercion is the basis of every law in the universe,--human or divine. A law is not law without coercion behind it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/coercion-is-the-basis-of-every-law-in-the-universe-human-or-divine-a/)

[James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/)

> [Silence tells the seeker in us to love, to love himself. It tells us it is wrong to hate ourselves because of our imperfections.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-chinmoy/silence-tells-the-seeker-in-us-to-love-to-love-himself-it-tells-us-it/)

[Sri Chinmoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-chinmoy/)

> [Friend, you are a divine mingle-mangle of guts and stardust. So hang in there! If doors opened for me, they can open for anyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-capra/friend-you-are-a-divine-mingle-mangle-of-guts-and-stardust-so-hang-in/)

[Frank Capra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-capra/)

> [A woman is more influenced by what she divines than by what she is told.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ninon-de-l-enclos/a-woman-is-more-influenced-by-what-she-divines-than-by-what-she-is/)

[Ninon de L'Enclos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ninon-de-l-enclos/)

[Browse all 4,543 Divine quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/divine/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Through the humbling dispensations of Divine Providence, men are sometimes fitted for his service.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "John Woolman"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-woolman/through-the-humbling-dispensations-of-divine-providence-men-are/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Divine"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-woolman/through-the-humbling-dispensations-of-divine-providence-men-are/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8d/john-woolman-17424_divine_through-the-humbling-dispensations-of-di_896460.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8d/john-woolman-17424_divine_through-the-humbling-dispensations-of-di_896460.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8d/john-woolman-17424_divine_through-the-humbling-dispensations-of-di_896460.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Through the humbling dispensations of Divine Providence, men are sometimes fitted for his service.” — John Woolman",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "John Woolman",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-woolman/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Through the humbling dispensations of Divine...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-woolman/through-the-humbling-dispensations-of-divine-providence-men-are/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-woolman/through-the-humbling-dispensations-of-divine-providence-men-are/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
